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Crown prosecutors are declining to charge a trio of St. Albert RCMP officers who mistakenly arrested a non-verbal autistic boy, despite Alberta’s police watchdog conclusion the officers may have committed a crime.
Ryley Bauman was handcuffed and transported to a holding cell on Oct. 2, 2022, after Mounties in the Edmonton suburb received a report about a person acting strangely on a local playground.
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Bauman, who was 16 at the time, was unable to give his name when approached by officers. The officers — believing they were dealing with an intoxicated adult — placed him in handcuffs. Bauman began to scream a small number of words and phrases, including “it’s OK,” “playground” and “mom.” Officers took him to the detachment and locked him in a cell, where Bauman repeatedly banged his head until being given a sedative.
Bauman was eventually reported missing by his family.
In a report released Wednesday, Matthew Block, assistant executive director of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), said the officers’ actions met the Criminal Code standard for unlawful confinement and possibly assault.
The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, however, said the case did not meet its standards for prosecution.
“While the officers were mistaken that Mr. Bauman was intoxicated by drugs, there was evidence that police acted on a good faith basis and had reasonable grounds to arrest Mr. Bauman,” spokesperson Michelle Davio said in a news release.
“While ASIRT found there were reasonable grounds for charges against the officers, given the evidence provided, the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service found that there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction given the higher standard of proof required to proceed to trial.”
More to come.
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